The Paperback Sleuth - Like a Bullet

(Paperback)

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Description

Humorous cosy-crime caper from the author of the beloved, bestselling Vinyl Detective series in which a feisty, amoral book dealer uses her unique skills to solve fiendish crimes, A love letter to Agatha Christie murder mysteries and classic whodunnits.

When rock musician and World War Two nut Erik Make Loud hires Cordelia, the Paperback Sleuth, to track down a series of rare and highly sought-after Commando novels by the blatantly pseudonymous Butch Raider, it seems like a routine job. But Cordelia soon discovers that the series and in particular the incredibly rare Commando Gold paperback are all but impossible to track down.

The books' creator real name Monty Hanington, once a promising young poet and now an embittered drunk proves easier to find. And when he reveals to Cordelia that all his stories came from a real ex-commando he'd met on a pub crawl, a man who was only too happy to provide authentic colour to Monty's stories for a pint or two, she realises the tales might just be a little too authentic.

For Commando Gold details a 1944 operation in Greece, in which commandos stumbled on a cache of Nazi gold and decided to bring it home with them. The operation was real, the gold is definitely real and the horde still exists hidden away in England.

And some people are willing to kill to get it.

Reviews

"An intriguing mystery with an amoral protagonist. Who knew the world of paperback books could be so deadly" Ben Aaronovich


"Andrew Cartmel introduces a new kind of heroine, entirely immoral, somewhat venal and slightly foxed." David Quantick, Emmy award-winning producer of VEEP


"A quirky crime yarn bound to hit the sweet spot for mystery lovers." Kirkus Reviews


"Cartmel has never been better than in this darkly funny series kickoff... Fans of Lynne Trusss Constable Twitten novels will find much to love." Publishers Weekly Starred Review


"Devilishly clever richly suspenseful readers will be primed for more." Booklist

Author Bio

Andrew Cartmel is a novelist, comics writer and screenwriter. His work includes a distinguished sojourn script editing Doctor Who for three years (search "Cartmel masterplan"), co-writing the Rivers of London graphic novels and plays. As a crime novelist, Andrew created the Vinyl Detective while listening to a lot of music, most of it good. Most of it very good. Andrew Cartmel lives in London with too many books, too many records and just enough cats.